Where to sleep in Venice? A special case

As a guide many people frequently ask me: “where to sleep in Venice”, in “which hotel?”, or “is it better an apartment?” I have to answer that my job is not about making quality assessment of hotels, apartments and B&B, as I do not usually meet my clients in their bedrooms! But sometimes, on the other hand, I like to express my preferences, when I think about an accommodation as a place able to reflect the true “Venetian spirit”. It has been a very positive surprise when I visited, just few weeks ago the houses owned by a friend of mine – manager of an important Murano Glass factory. And I think it is worthy to spend few words about this tourist accommodation.

What a tourist should look on a Venetian accommodation?  

Sometimes I hear that Venice is a place that can be visited without caring so much about the details of the place where you sleep. All you need could be just a clean, silent and, possibly, unpretentious but cozy room. This is true if you are planning to come to Venice just for a quick visit, when you have short time and you want to squeeze it to enjoy walking the city. But if you really want to live the city, then choosing a perfect accommodation might be a great idea, turning your stay into a deeper and exciting experience.

What does “Venetian spirit” mean when we are looking for an accommodation?

It means to make an all around experience of your stay in Venice, feeling and living the city to the fullest. Your accommodation will become part of your Venetian life, and while you are sleeping, eating, relaxing you’ll be into the overall experience (and not in a place that could be everywhere in the world). This means that the right accommodation gives the possibility to connect to the city to a deepest level. It is not that kind of “IKEA” standardised living space that can be easily booked in any city.

What’s so special in the Venice apartments?

In these apartments I found something that I could rarely see in tourist accommodations, or even in hotels – at least not so many things in same place. Along with the good facilities and the liveability, which are to be considered the “minimum standard” of every accommodation, these apartments have to offer something more:

–a dialogue between exterior and interior, many windows open towards many different directions with no interface with the cityscape

–traditional details of the typical venetian life

-an incredible “altana” terrace with a 360 degrees view over the venetian rooftops

-an unique way to merge different Murano glass objects into every level of the living space.

Why sitting on the Altana terrace in Venice is such a great experience?

The Altana is a rooftop terrace, not a balcony terrace, invented in Venice and built on the top of the roofs, in order to save space into the apartments. The Altana in one of these houses is on a very high location, thus providing 360 degrees view; and it is such a spacious terrace that you can easily have breakfast, lunch or dinner there, relaxing, and even sleeping.

How to use Murano glass in the house?

This is probably the most exclusive element to distinguish these apartments: the way of using Murano glass in the house, the certificate of the Venetian spirit. So the glass is used starting from the mosaic on the staircases, every lamp, wall lamp and chandelier is made in Murano, showing a variety of different styles, more traditional (with the typical glass drops) or with a modern design. The mirrors are Murano glass style, and there’re also display cabinets with drinking glasses and artistic sculptures.

How the Murano glass has been used to decorate the apartment?

The most exclusive and distinctive element of the interiors is probably the way Murano glass is used in the house, as a witness of the Venetian spirit, starting from the mosaics on the staircases. Every lamp, wall lamp and chandelier is made in Murano, showing a variety of different styles, from the traditional (with the typical glass drops) to the modern design. The mirrors are Murano glass style, and there are also display cabinets with drinking glasses and artistic sculptures.

Where are these apartments located?

They are in the Sestiere (district) of Castello, one of the most genuine districts of Venice, located just behind St Mark’s area (about 10 mins walk), but not too close to the bus/car and train terminals and out of the main crowded area. It is a good way to discover a more authentic side of Venice, still characterized by local residents and far from the big tourist crowd.

How to book these “special case” apartments?

These is not a marketing announcement, but if you’re interested to contact the manager just write us and we’ll provide all info.

Davide Calenda